Abimelech Restores Sarah to Abraham
tapestry weaverAttributed to
Jan van Tiegen
(active about 1550)
Date1550-1600
Place MadeBrussels, Brussels, Belgium, Europe
MediumWool warp (7 yarns per cm); wool and silk wefts
Dimensions345.4 x 396.2 cm (136 x 156 in.)
ClassificationsFurnishings
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberT19w56
eMuseum ID729736
Alt. No. 1 (Siple)044
Alt. No. 2 (Cavallo)011a
EmbARK ObjectID12922
Alt. No. 4 (Old Cavallo)010a
Original NumberT19w56-s
TMS Source ID1965
Last Updated8/9/24
Status
Not on viewWeb CommentaryIsabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.
BibliographyNotesMorris Carter. Isabella Stewart Gardner and Fenway Court (Boston, 1925; Reprint, Boston, 1972), pp. 215, 230, 241.
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 157-58, no. I. (as by Johann van Tiegen, Brussels, about the middle of the 16th century)
Betty Chamberlain. “Tapestry Room” in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 35
Corinna Lindon Smith. Interesting People (Norman, Oklahoma, 1962), pp. 164, 167.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 140, 142-43. (as Brussels, 16th century; discusses the Emily Chadbourne affair and difficulties during export)
Erik Duverger. "De bloetijd van de vlaamse tapijkunst." Internationaal Colloquium 23-25 May 1961 (Brussels, 1969), pp. 92, 110. (the mark suggested as Frans Geubels's, who used this border design)
Gail Black. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 13 (25 Nov. 1962), p. 2. (as woven in Brabant, second half of the 16th century)
William N. Mason. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 37 (12 May 1963), p. 2. (discusses a tapestry in this set, museum no. T19w48-s)
Jean-Paul Asselberghs. Les tapisseries flamandes aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique (Brussels, 1974), p. 13. (as Brussels, third quarter of the 16th century; mark attributed to Jean van Tieghem)
Adolph S. Cavollo. "An Introduction to the Textile Collection at Fenway Court." Fenway Court (1981), pp. 8-9, fig. 3. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600)
Adolph S. Cavallo. Textiles: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1986), pp. 58-65, no. 11a. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600; Jan van Tieghem as "the putative weaver" of the series)
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 113.
Pascal-François Bertrand. Les tapisseries des Barberini et la décoration d'intérieur dans la Rome baroque (Turnhout, Belgium 2005), pp. 72, 90, 93-94, 102, 135, figs. 131-32, app. A.10.644, 655, A.12.741. (as workshop of Jean van Tieghem?, second half of the 16th century; alternatively as, school of Bernard van Orley)
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), pp. 157-58, no. I. (as by Johann van Tiegen, Brussels, about the middle of the 16th century)
Betty Chamberlain. “Tapestry Room” in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 35
Corinna Lindon Smith. Interesting People (Norman, Oklahoma, 1962), pp. 164, 167.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 140, 142-43. (as Brussels, 16th century; discusses the Emily Chadbourne affair and difficulties during export)
Erik Duverger. "De bloetijd van de vlaamse tapijkunst." Internationaal Colloquium 23-25 May 1961 (Brussels, 1969), pp. 92, 110. (the mark suggested as Frans Geubels's, who used this border design)
Gail Black. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 13 (25 Nov. 1962), p. 2. (as woven in Brabant, second half of the 16th century)
William N. Mason. “Notes, Records, Comments.” Gardner Museum Calendar of Events 6, no. 37 (12 May 1963), p. 2. (discusses a tapestry in this set, museum no. T19w48-s)
Jean-Paul Asselberghs. Les tapisseries flamandes aux Etats-Unis d'Amérique (Brussels, 1974), p. 13. (as Brussels, third quarter of the 16th century; mark attributed to Jean van Tieghem)
Adolph S. Cavollo. "An Introduction to the Textile Collection at Fenway Court." Fenway Court (1981), pp. 8-9, fig. 3. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600)
Adolph S. Cavallo. Textiles: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1986), pp. 58-65, no. 11a. (as Flemish, Brussels, 1550-1600; Jan van Tieghem as "the putative weaver" of the series)
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 113.
Pascal-François Bertrand. Les tapisseries des Barberini et la décoration d'intérieur dans la Rome baroque (Turnhout, Belgium 2005), pp. 72, 90, 93-94, 102, 135, figs. 131-32, app. A.10.644, 655, A.12.741. (as workshop of Jean van Tieghem?, second half of the 16th century; alternatively as, school of Bernard van Orley)
MarksNotesInscribed (tablet, upper center): CVM AVSTRALES ABRAHAM PETERET CVM CONIVGE TERRAS / HEC [HAEC] IPSI INVERSO NOMINE RAPTA FVIT. GENE. 20 ("While Abraham sought after southern lands with his wife, she, with her identity changed, was taken away," a summary of Genesis 20:1-16)
Inscribed (a soldier's standard): R.A. (Rex Abimelech)
Inscribed (lower left, outer guard): Brussels mark
Inscribed (lower right, outer guard): Jan van Tieghem's (?) mark
Inscribed (a soldier's standard): R.A. (Rex Abimelech)
Inscribed (lower left, outer guard): Brussels mark
Inscribed (lower right, outer guard): Jan van Tieghem's (?) mark
ProvenanceNotesTraditionally, said to have been commissioned by Pope Urban VIII Barberini (1623-1644).
Aquired by the Barberini family probably after 1644 as a set of eight History of Abraham tapestries.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini ai Giubbonari, Rome, 9 August 1671 (see Bertrand, Appendex A.10.644, 655).
Three tapestries were installed in the Vicolo dei Balestrari and five in an antechamber probably used as a reception hall.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini alla Quattro Fontane, Rome, 1686. (see Bertrand, Appendex A.12.741.
Five of the Abraham tapestries remained with the Barberini family until the late nineteenth century.
These five tapestries were purchased by Mrs. Charles Mather Ffoulke (Sarah Adeline Cushing, 1852-1926), Washington, DC from the Principessa Barberini, Rome in 1889, through her husband the tapestry collector and scholar Charles Mather Foulke (1841-1909).
Isabella Stewart Gardner agreed to purchase the five Abraham tapestries, as well as the Life of Cyrus series (museum nos. T19w2-s, T19e4-s, T19w18-s, T19e57-s, T19e36-s), the Chateau and Gardens series (museum nos. T18s5-s, T18w1-s, T18e5-s, T18e35-s) and one additional tapestry (museum no. T22s3) from Sarah Adeline Cushing on 24 December 1903.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Sarah Adeline Cushing, Washington, DC for $33,750 (for the set of five tapestries) over a series of payments made from 1905 to 1906, through Charles Mather Ffoulke.
Due to the high cost of import duties, two of the Abraham tapestries remained in Europe until 1908 in the care of Mrs. Thomas Lincoln Chadbourne (Emily R. Crane, 1871-1964). Their arrival to Boston was delayed further by a customs dispute (for more information, see Carter, pp. 231-32).
Aquired by the Barberini family probably after 1644 as a set of eight History of Abraham tapestries.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini ai Giubbonari, Rome, 9 August 1671 (see Bertrand, Appendex A.10.644, 655).
Three tapestries were installed in the Vicolo dei Balestrari and five in an antechamber probably used as a reception hall.
Included in the inventory of Palazzo Barberini alla Quattro Fontane, Rome, 1686. (see Bertrand, Appendex A.12.741.
Five of the Abraham tapestries remained with the Barberini family until the late nineteenth century.
These five tapestries were purchased by Mrs. Charles Mather Ffoulke (Sarah Adeline Cushing, 1852-1926), Washington, DC from the Principessa Barberini, Rome in 1889, through her husband the tapestry collector and scholar Charles Mather Foulke (1841-1909).
Isabella Stewart Gardner agreed to purchase the five Abraham tapestries, as well as the Life of Cyrus series (museum nos. T19w2-s, T19e4-s, T19w18-s, T19e57-s, T19e36-s), the Chateau and Gardens series (museum nos. T18s5-s, T18w1-s, T18e5-s, T18e35-s) and one additional tapestry (museum no. T22s3) from Sarah Adeline Cushing on 24 December 1903.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner from Sarah Adeline Cushing, Washington, DC for $33,750 (for the set of five tapestries) over a series of payments made from 1905 to 1906, through Charles Mather Ffoulke.
Due to the high cost of import duties, two of the Abraham tapestries remained in Europe until 1908 in the care of Mrs. Thomas Lincoln Chadbourne (Emily R. Crane, 1871-1964). Their arrival to Boston was delayed further by a customs dispute (for more information, see Carter, pp. 231-32).
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